The illustrative drawing released by Xiamen University shows its future branch school in Malaysia.

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was given a briefing on the development of the proposed Xiamen University branch campus in Malaysia today.China's ambassador to Malaysia, Huang Huikang, who made a courtesy call to Najib at the latter's office, here, briefed the prime minister on the campus progress during their half-an-hour meeting.

Also present were President of Xiamen University, Prof Zhu Chongshi and the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to China who is also Chairman of the Malaysia-China Business Council, Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting.

Ong, when met after the meeting later, said that Huang and Prof Zhu had explained the progress of the Xiamen University's Malaysia branch campus to Najib."Today is another further progress that the university is ready to physically start work subject to all the authorities' approval and the Malaysian government will facilitate the construction of the campus to let it start as soon as possible.

"They had done a lot of preparatory work and they wish to start the project as soon as possible," he said.Ong said that Najib was very encouraged by the latest progress and wanted the development of the project to move according to plans.The prime minister had earlier announced that Malaysia had been chosen as the first venue for the Xiamen University's overseas branch campus in September 2015 and the agreement for the formation of the branch campus had been signed on Feb 5.

Najib was reported as saying that the Xiamen University's branch campus was expected to enrol 10,000 students for the first stage, of whom one-third would be Malaysian nationals, one-third Chinese nationals while the remaining one-third would be from ASEAN member countries and those outside ASEAN.

It was reported that five faculties would be built on a 60.72-hectare site in Salak Tinggi for the branch campus namely electrical biology engineering and chemical engineering,medical study centre, information and communication technology (ICT), business and economy, Chinese language and literature.The University of Xiamen, which is listed among the top 20 universities in China, was founded by famous Malaysian rubber magnate Tan Kah Kee in 1921.--BERNAMA